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Four Whispered Words
Four Whispered Words was one of the Consuls of the League of Nine. She hailed from and came to rule the city-state of Goguryeo, and was the Supreme Commander of the League military for the first 14 years of the War of Nine. Her name was sometimes translated as "Whispers of Death," owing to similarity of the words "four" and "death" in Goguryean. The similarity wass intended on her part. She typically shortened her name to "Whisper," even though it is pluralized in her more common translation. Appearance and Personality Four Whispered Words' appearance and personality both changed greatly over the course of the War of Nine. Upon joining the conspiracy that would become the League of Nine, she dressed in nondescript black clothing and had a generally meek and insecure demeanor. Whisper initially panicked at being given the title of Supreme Commander, balking at the responsibility the title would entail. After it was explained that her job mostly involved keeping Red to the Shoulder on a tight leash, she warmed to the position. She excelled in her strategic role and eventually developed confidence in her abilities. By the time that the Bright Causeway was powered up, she had already grown into her position as consul and changed her wardrobe. Whisper became known for mixing her drab black with brilliant white and vibrant red, going so far as to transmute some of the strands of her hair from their native black into the same bright red she favored in her makeup and clothing. Whisper was an opium addict, as were many Goguryeans. Her Rites of Fortification tempered the consequences of her addiction, but its effects escalated over the course of the War of Nine. She used the drug as a coping mechanism for the heavy responsibilities laid on her as Supreme Commander. Portfolio Whisper was, by all accounts, the weakest of the nine consuls before the activation of the Bright Causeway (Paragon of the Shattered Anvil estimated her to be near the Circle of Solace's line between Gold and Platinum sanction). Her relative lack of power led to her inventing the Lantern Thrall, considered one of the biggest innovations of the War. The Lantern Thrall's primary advantage was that it required a great deal less motive power to maintain than previous necromantic designs, allowing the League to field thousands of them at a time. Whisper was a necromancer first and foremost. She specialized in the subschool to a degree rarely seen, particularly given necromancy's dual reputation as a vulgar discipline and as Black Magic. Whisper's skills in other schools were limited before the activation of the Causeway, likely as a function of her relative weakness as a wizard. After ascension, she favored the expression schools of aphoration and evocation--unsurprising, given her past fascinations. Known History As with all wizards, the details of Whisper's early life are unclear. She is believed to be have been born in the 16th century, before Red to the Shoulder, making her the second-youngest Consul. She was driven out of Goguryeo proper some time around 1621, living as a recluse until the 1650s. Commonly referred to as a witch, she was a figure of some folklore, owing to her use of necromancy. Place Within the League Early in the League's history, Whisper's Lantern Thralls provided the young League with enough troops to defend itself. Based on this, she was elevated to Supreme Commander of the League military. She did not attend battles in person, sticking to a strategic role. One of her primary duties was to keep Red to the Shoulder occupied. The two had one of the smoother relationships among the League, as far as Red to the Shoulder was concerned--she led him to places where he could fight. Here Be Spoilers Four Whispered Words died of an opium overdose in 1672. This was considered a turning point in the war, as it allowed Red to the Shoulder to ascend to the position of Supreme Commander. His actions ultimately led to the War of Nine tilting back into the alliance's favor after the events of Ascension had made the war winnable for the League. Significant evidence was uncovered during and after the war hinting that Whisper may have been born in 1631, making her just 28 at the opening of the War of Nine. This would make her the youngest consul by more than seventy years and explain her transformation over the course of the war.